Winter arrived earlier up here than in previous years. Today I put on my Carhartt arctic suit (rated for -90 degrees Fahrenheit), slipped on a hoodie underneath it all, put on a red beard/scarf to keep my face warm, snuck some gloves through my sleeves, put on my -90 degree rated snow boots, and off to work I went.
I only live like 2500ft away from the school, and my walk is a straight shot down the dirt road; currently, the road is covered in a heavy blanket coating of snow/ice. A steady 20mph wind pushed me back as I walked, and it stung at -28 below thorugh the tiny openings on my ski goggles, and hat.
This weather is headed down towards y'all next week. Get ready, and winter is coming.
Although it isn't currently raining as I type...the Pacific NW has been very wet this autumn. To the delight of skiers the heavy rain is falling as snow on the mountain passes. Temps in the city, however, have been 50's during the day but, mid-40's to high 30's in the evening.
This week we finally had rain after two months of no rain and general extreme drought conditions. It wasnt enough to have rain, we also had a bunch of tornados. We still have about a foot of rain deficit. But I'll take what we can get.
Other than one day where it kinda snowed (it didn't stick) it's been kinda dry. Just cloudy.
It's been very weird the last two years.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
It got into the 30s a few times at night and Sunday was pretty cold.. I have a 10:50 tee time for this Saturday, hope it stops raining. That's in Raleigh...
Its still too hot for me down here in SC .. will be leaving in a few weeks for the snow belt in NY .. not looking forward to that either .. sucks to be me .. *L* ..
In a remote part of Alaska. No cars can reach where I live, and there's no roads.
I'm a teacher in a remote bush Alaskan village, and I serve Alaskan Natives.
It's cold up here on the literal edge of the United States.
Wow .. very interesting ... if u mind answering questions please tell me now and I'll stop ... if not, I am like a 2 year old and am very curious by nature ... I'll ask a ton if you'll allow me .... please let me know if you'd rather I didn't ...
You do it where noone else would. As a result, you do it like noone else could.
MAD RESPECT.
I'm proud to have known you BEFORE you traipsed off to 'parts unknown.'
And I'm even more proud to call you My Friend now.
There are few Dawgs who'd EVER take on a calling like yours... and fewer still who'd tough it out for the years that you have. And to think- you've actually signed on for more. (!)
Peace Corps, Doctors Without Borders, dedicated teachers like you, etc. exemplify the best of who America produces. You actually LIVE it as you speak it. That deserves Madazz props from the likes of me.
I sit in warm rooms, and play notes for rich folks who can afford the price of a ticket. You hike your azz through blizzards, to educate our next generation of American citizens.
I am in awe. You are an American Role Model.
____________________
Here in your old "stompin' grounds," I walked into St. Joe's (Sylvania) in just a tux. Walked out to a slight chill (the temp had dropped from 51 to 41 during the gig). Tomorrow might, I'll need to wear a (lined) overcoat. Forecast: damp and cloudy/34° Temp and conditions deteriorate from here, BUT:
RocketOptimist: You do some of the most difficult and important work an American citizen could ever undertake- and you've chosen to do it in the most inhospitable (and most needful) of places in the entire 50 states. There is simply no one on these boards who has earned more respect from me than you. No one.
To my knowledge, there is nobody who has earned more of a right to speak to me about Important Things than you... and you're less than half my age. In my 60 years on this planet, there is one overriding lesson I have learned:
A 'student of Life' gets his lessons from wherever Life sees fit to administer them.
Thank you, My Friend... for being My Teacher. But then again... it's just what you do- am I right?
Stay warm, Teacher. Your kids need you. WE need you.
How'd I end up here? Social justice, a word which probably gives you the heebie jeebies, runs through my veins. I've told some sembalnce of this story before in the past, but I guess now is a good time to tell it again. My perspective on this evolves over time.
Hop in a silver DeLorean, set the flux capacitor to 2009, and travel to the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. The story starts there.
I originally went to college for engineering. I found myself a little internship at The Walt Disney World Resort. I worked an attraction, and took some introductory classes on how engineering works at Disney. My pie in the sky idea involved designing scream machines. But, other lessons soon became apparent.
The life of an engineer didn't really appeal to me. DC, maybe others here too, no offense, but I couldn't do it. I need to get out of a building, work with people, and feel like I'm impacting human capital. I enjoy helping others, and trying to make people realize the happiness they want for themselves. I didn't see that with engineering; the Disney engineers sat in cubicles in offices.
I got much more enjoyment working the attraction I ran. I stepped out of my shy environment, and I took on the role of a movie director on a ride. I pushed buttons, made things blow up, and dumped thousands upon thousands of gallons of water on guests that visited Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.
I worked down at Disney from May of 2009 till December of 2009. I had my car, lived with a plethora of different roommates who kept getting themselves fired (My roommates consisted of a passive aggressive gay dude, a flamboyant gay dude, a liberal Mormon who got "drunk" on wine coolers, and an African American guy who I didn't know for too long...true story. One of my college friends heard me say this, and he replied with "is this a joke? What's the punchline?") I had no family in Florida. This is the first time I lived more than 120+ miles away from home, it was over 1000 miles from "home" being in Orlando, but I relished in being on my own. I could live on my own terms, explore, and go as I please. This played a key role in my jump to remote Alaska.
But right, teaching. My ember of social justice from earlier in life, I actually considered being a pastor, became a blazing fire.
I struggled with math and science courses in college. I did well in high school, but most college profs truly suck at teaching. I would slog away trying to memorize trig functions for integrals, try to find a way to apply physics problems to what we learned in class, and everything like that. Most nights I stayed up till 1:30am, and I only managed to get a D+ or C-; that wasn't going to cut it for me.
Eventually I made the biggest change of my life. I looked back to my strengths, and what I enjoyed most. People, despite my introverted nature, fascinate me. I like helping, I enjoy learning, and I always enjoyed writing. I always helped my friends with homework, and mostly my younger sister. I figured teaching would end up as a good avenue. I settled on English Language Arts due to better job prospects, and the secondary level (9th-12th grade) as that's who I feel I could identify with better.
I still needed a purpose, and I found it. Northwest Ohio took my raw passion, and it formed me into the educator that sent me up here. I took fantastic teaching placements in the inner-city of Toledo, Ohio. I WANTED these placements. Everyone hesistantly accepted them, but I told them to give me the hardest place. I wanted to teach somewhere totally unlike my own school, and hope to somehow make a difference in the first place.
The world that Lurker and Swish share about inner-city schools? Its real. Teachers who take the jobs just for pay, barely any resources in the classroom, classrooms that show MLK's desegregation ideas turn into economic segregation, kids from broken homes, people looking for hope, and districts that haven't got a clue. I continued to hone my craft under guidance of great mentors along the way. I thought I'd end up teaching in such a school upon graduation. But as life tends to go, a curve ball came down the pipe.
The catcher of my life sent an intriguing sign to the pitcher on the mound. The sign was given, the pitcher tossed a curve ball from the 49th state, and I made contact.
Our job fair at UT brought in a district from Alaska. I did my research on it, and I thought "Hmmm, sounds interesting." This place is unlike anything you've ever seen. I'm a minority where I teach, and where I live. I'm surrounded by Alaskan Natives who care much for what I do, and try their best to show their thanks in many ways. Problem due exist, and it's because of poverty.
I got drawn here due to the unique experience. I get to teach a culture other than my own, I get to participate in many cultural activities that pale in comparison to the "high ticket" tourist attractions on road system Alaska, and I can be me in this place.
Alaskan Natives got a raw deal by our Federal Government. Not quite as bad as the Native Americans, but still quite a raw deal. My innate social justice calls me to places like these. I want to help bring a solution, and try to undo problems caused in the past by outsiders.
It's a fantastic place, Diam. It's a big reason why I have the views on politics that I do. I'm sure you'd be closer to my mind of thinking if you got to experience what life is like for Alaskan Natives in bush Alaska.
A 'student of Life' gets his lessons from wherever Life sees fit to administer them.
I've lived by that. There's a song by Phil Collins that sums it up quite well for me. It's called "Son Of Man" by Phil Collins. Here's the lyrics.
Quote:
Oh, the power to be strong And the wisdom to be wise All these things will Come to you in time On this journey that you're making There'll be answers that you'll seek And it's you who'll climb the mountain It's you who'll reach the peak
Son of Man, look to the sky Lift your spirit, set it free Some day you'll walk tall with pride Son of Man, a man in time you'll be
Though there's no one there to guide you No one to take your hand But with faith and understanding You will journey from boy to man
Son of Man, look to the sky Lift your spirit, set it free Some day you'll walk tall with pride Son of Man, a man in time you'll be
In learning you will teach And in teaching you will learn You'll find your place beside the Ones you love Oh, and all the things you dreamed of The visions that you saw Well, the time is drawing near now It's yours to claim in all
Son of Man, look to the sky Lift your spirit, set it free Some day you'll walk tall with pride Son of Man, a man in time you'll be
Son of Man, Son of Man's a man for all to see
The part that really gets me? This lyric
Quote:
In learning you will teach And in teaching you will learn
In a remote part of Alaska. No cars can reach where I live, and there's no roads.
I'm a teacher in a remote bush Alaskan village, and I serve Alaskan Natives.
It's cold up here on the literal edge of the United States.
That explains the Brain freeze you experience when you post.
Yes I am being a dumb ass again.
But I am just like Ohio weather. If you don't like it don't worry it will change tomorrow. Yesterday it was 60 degrees here. Today mid 30's with a wind chill in the low 20's expected.
Now if you don't like me being a dumb ass Rocket don't worry Tomarrow I could be a
Smart ass wise ass big ass Just a plain ass A ignorant ass
hmmmm I am starting to see a pattern here in my posting
Wait a minute, you told me you got that red head pregnant and took off for parts unknown and ended up where the only red in your future would be salmon.
We are currently deemed to be in “Severe Drought”.
Since January 2015 we are 20” below normal rainfall. (we get ~ 46”/year)
It has been hot and dry (for here). It seems like every year lately we post a couple record warmest months and always a top-10 warmest year. This year is certain to be another. Probably a top-5.
So far this fall has been very mild. Today’s high near 60 degrees. We’ve had only two brief flurries so far. We usually get a few inches of snow in November.
Of course we could get blasted next week. (We got 12+” on October 30th, 2012. The Halloween that wasn’t.)
I’d say there can be no statistical doubt that Connecticut is experiencing a significant warming trend.
We are currently deemed to be in “Severe Drought”.
Since January 2015 we are 20” below normal rainfall. (we get ~ 46”/year)
It has been hot and dry (for here). It seems like every year lately we post a couple record warmest months and always a top-10 warmest year. This year is certain to be another. Probably a top-5.
So far this fall has been very mild. Today’s high near 60 degrees. We’ve had only two brief flurries so far. We usually get a few inches of snow in November.
Of course we could get blasted next week. (We got 12+” on October 30th, 2012. The Halloween that wasn’t.)
I’d say there can be no statistical doubt that Connecticut is experiencing a significant warming trend.
I just got my electric bill (heating/hot tub). It was less this month than last. My bill includes a 12 month snapshot. This November was 7 degrees warmer on average than last. Currently during the days we're in the lower 50's to upper 40's. Generally overcast. Pretty much what I expect for December in the PacNW. Maybe a few degrees warmer. That's supposed to change this weekend. They're calling for low level snow. Probably get a dusting in the hilltops around town. We rarely get snow on the valley floor. The weather here was a big part of my reason to leave Ohio. I'll take 43 degree drizzle in January over -8 degree sunshine or 30 degree freezing rain.
Yeah, we get several freezing rain storms every year. And it doesn't take much.
Those are tough. Walking across an iced parking lot is very tough. Any sort of paved, uneven (up/down) surface that is coated in ice is impossible to traverse on foot.
There is simply no one on these boards who has earned more respect from me than you. No one.
Hold on there....I once did a double backflip off the high dive at Clearwater Quarry with my pants around my ankles after downing a half bottle of Jack.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. - John Muir
They're calling for low level snow. Probably get a dusting in the hilltops around town. We rarely get snow on the valley floor. .
Last major snowstorm in Portland was the 18" we got in 2008. The western hills got 24". For a city not used to much more than a couple inches of snow that storm just before Christmas shut the city down for days. What's hilarious is seeing the Californians or Texans who moved here literally abandon their car at the first sight of .5 - 1" of snow! Literally. They park their car along the side of the roads and walk or take the bus.
What does happen that isn't good, however, is the freezing rain we sometimes get. It turns to thick sheets of ice and blankets the roads. We have seen a few of those days since we have lived here. Never fun to drive on!
Strange here in Tennessee. We had .25 inches of rain since late August/early September. None in November until Tuesday/Wednesday, once the eastern half of the state was dry as a bone and on fire, then we get over 5 inches in 36 hours.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
yesterday went from mild in the morning, to snowing, to raining, to snowing, to more mild in the evening
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Jeudy is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Tillman is flanked out wide to the right. Judkins and Ford are split in the backfield as Flacco takes the snap ... Here we go."
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